Teaching
Here you find an overview of available courses (Lectures, Seminars and Exercises) of the Quantum Group, Faculty of Physics.
Studying & Exams - Things worth knowing about studying can be found here.
BACHELOR Courses (Sommersemester 2023):
Laboratory
Classical and Quantum Optics (260036)
Lecturer(s): Philip Walther, Mathieu Bozzio, Oliver H. Heckl, Sebastian Pedalino, Lee Arthur Rozema
Characterization of optical elements – experimental statistics of various states of light – experimental characterization of the quantum nature of light – quantum randomness – polarization states – observation of wave properties as well as particle behavior – interaction-free measurements – coherence length – laser and optical cavities or alternatively atom spectroscopy.
The insights and content of this course will be made accessible via experiments. Each experimental group has a limit of up to 4 students and will require 1 week of full-time work.
When:
First meeting Monday, 6th of March 2023, 11:00, Q-kitchen on the 2nd floor, room 3251
Block 4th - 8th of September 2023
Where: Erwin-Schrödinger-Hörsaal, Boltzmanngasse 5, 5. Stk., 1090 Wien
ECTS-Credits: 7.00
Lecture
Classical and Quantum Optics (260100)
Lecturer(s): Thomas Juffmann
The aim of the course is to obtain an understanding of the classical and quantum properties of light. The course will provide an introduction into the experimental foundations of quantum optics, the key experiments and the basic theoretical principles. Depending on current CoViD restrictions: either standard lecture format with mixed blackboard/Powerpoint presentation or online ZOOM lectures.
When:
Tuesday, 11:15 - 12:15
Thursday, 10:15 - 11:30
Where: Christian-Doppler-Hörsaal, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
ECTS-Credits: 4.00
MASTER Courses (Sommersemester 2023):
NOTE: ALL MASTER-COURSES CAN BE USED FOR PHD-STUDIES AND VICE VERSA.
Seminar
Concepts, phenomena & paradoxes at the interface betw. quantum physics & general relativity-Part IV (260062)
Lecturer(s): Caslav Brukner
The seminar will provide an introduction to relevant literature and current discussions on quantum phenomena involving general relativity.
When: Thursday, 14:45 - 16:15
Where: Josef-Stefan-Hörsaal, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
ECTS-Credits: 5.00
Lecture
Quantum Information (260085)
Lecturer(s): Beatrix Hiesmayr
The course is conducted in a hybrid teaching mode. Topics will include: Quantum states and operations, quantum entanglement, Bell's theorem, GHZ Paradox, Interaction free measurements, no-cloning and no-siginaling theorem, quantum communcation (quantum teleportation, quantum key distribution, random acess codes), elements of quantum computing and error correction (Quantum Fourier transform, Grover algoritm etc.)
When & Where:
Tuesday, 08:30 - 09:45 and 10:00 - 11:00, Christian-Doppler-Hörsaal, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
ECTS-Credits: 4.00
Lecture+Exercise (VU)
Low-level programming in C and C++ (Part 1) (260010)
Lecturer(s): Philipp Geyer
Basics of Low-Level programming in C and C++.
After finishing this course, the students will be able to write C/C++ programs on their own.
The exercises will be done using MS Visual Studio, therefor a Computer runnign the Windows operating system is required. Unix (Apple/Linux) users can of cause resort to using a Virtual Machine, instead of double boot.
When: Thursday, 15:00 - 17:30
Where: online
ECTS-Credits: 5.00
Lecture+Seminar (VU)
Engineered quantum many-body systems (260052)
Lecturer(s): Andreas Nunnenkamp
What is a quantum simulator and what is it good for? How can we exploit topology for robust qubits? What are (quantum) phase transitions?
This is a rather practically-minded course on advanced topics in theoretical quantum many-body physics with a focus on synthetic quantum systems. We will touch on topics of current research and get acquainted with methods to treat the interplay of interactions, topology, and disorder as well as their control by means of driving, dissipation, and feedback.
By the end of the course, you will have a first understanding of some of the questions in quantum science and technology, the language to describe, and the tools to address them.
Planned topics include elements of quantum dynamics (adiabatic evolution, Landau-Zener transitions, Berry phase), second quantization (bosons and fermions, Bogoliubov theory, Kitaev chain), open quantum systems (quantum noise approach, Lindblad equation), introduction to topological phases, quantum phase transitions, and reservoir engineering (Bose-Hubbard model, Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, Hatano-Nelson model).
The course format will combine lecture units and exercises.
When: Thursday, 09:30 - 12:00
Where: Seminarraum A, Währinger Straße 17, 2. Stk., 1090 Wien
ECTS-Credits: 5.00
Lecture
Theory in Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (260027)
Lecturer(s): Borivoje Dakic
Theoretical course on quantum optics and information processing with quantum states of light.
When & Where:
Wednesday, 10:45 - 12:15
Friday, 09:00 - 10:30
Josef-Stefan-Hörsaal, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
ECTS-Credits: 6.00
Lecture
Tensor network methods in many-body physics (260061)
Lecturer(s): Norbert Schuch, Bram André Roland Vanhecke
Tensor networks are a powerful framework for the study of many body-systems. Most importantly, they form the right language to study quantum many-body systems, both analytically and numerically. This in particular includes systems which exhibit exotic types of order (so-called "topological order"), which cannot be described by the standard framework of symmetry breaking and local order parameters, as well as other types of systems where quantum correlations play an important role.
The key reason for their success is that tensor networks are precisely built to capture the complex entanglement (i.e., the quantum correlation) which govern the behavior of such quantum many-body systems. On the one hand, this makes tensor networks a powerful tool to analytically understand and characterize the different unconventional phases and to build exactly solvable models. On the other hand, it also makes them a powerful ansatz for the numerical simulation of complex quantum many-body problems which are not susceptible to other methods due to their intricate quantum correlations.
Beyond that, tensor networks also naturally appear in the description of problems in classical statistical mechanics, where they give rise to extremely accurate numerical methods, as well as e.g. in the modeling of high-dimensional data.
This lecture will provide a comprehensive introduction to tensor networks, with a focus on their use in modeling quantum many-body systems.
The lecture consists of two parts, which are given in the first and second half of the term, respectively.
The first part of the lecture will give a comprehensive introduction to the field of tensor networks. This will include an introduction to the key concepts, as well as the basics of both the analytical and the numerical use of tensor networks. The first part will consists of 4h lecture per week, i.e. both Thursday and Friday, and last for the first half of the semester (until early May).
For the second part of the lecture, there will be two tracks. It will be possible to either choose one track, or to take both tracks (see below). Each track will consists of 2h lecture per week, starting in the middle of the semester.
Track A: "Mathematical theory of tensor networks". This part will specialize on mathematical aspects of tensor networks. This in particular covers the use of tensor networks in the classification of exotic phases with topological order, and their representation theory. The topics in this specialization will be mostly algebraic.
Track B: "Numerical simulations with tensor networks". This part will give an detailed introduction to the different use of tensor networks for the numerical simulations of quantum many-body systems, as well as problems in statistical mechanics, in one, two and three dimensions. This track will in particular also include hands-on programming exercises.
Track A will be held in the Friday slot, and Track B will be held in the Thursday slot, starting at the middle of the semester. Students who attend one of the tracks will earn ECTS points for this course. Students who wish to attend both tracks will additionally earn ECTS points for the course https://ufind.univie.ac.at/de/course.html?lv=250148&semester=2023S
The first part of the lecture will be taught by Norbert Schuch (Faculty of Physics and Faculty of Mathematics). Track A will be taught by Jose Garre Rubio and Andras Molnar (both Faculty of Mathematics), and Track B will be taught by Bram Vanhecke (Faculty of Physics).
When & Where:
Thursday, 14:45 - 16:15, Ludwig-Boltzmann-Hörsaal, Boltzmanngasse 5, EG, 1090 Wien
Friday, 09:00 - 10:30, Erwin-Schrödinger-Hörsaal, Boltzmanngasse 5, 5. Stk., 1090 Wien
ECTS-Credits: 5.00
Laboratory
Laboratory Quantum Optics (260211)
Lecturer(s): Philip Walther, Sebastian Pedalino, Mathieu Bozzio, Jakob Rieser, Lee Arthur Rozema
Setup of a source for entangled photon pairs – Violation of Bell’s inequality – non-classical two-photon interference (Hong-Ou-Mandel effect) – Encoding of quantum information – optical quantum computer gates – sources and detectors for molecular optics – experimental molecule interference – Experiments using Nitrogen-Vacancies in diamond or, alternatively radiation pressure experiments.
The insights and content of this course will be made accessible via experiments. Experiments are done in groups of 2 students and require 2 weeks of full-time work.
When:
First meeting Monday, 6th of March 2023, 11:30, Q-kitchen on the 2nd floor, room 3251
Block 11th - 22th of September 2023
ECTS-Credits: 10.00
Lecture
Quantum Information (260085)
Lecturer(s): Beatrix Hiesmayr
Topics include: pure/mixed quantum states, Bloch sphere in higher dimensions, geometries of Hilbert-Schmidt spaces, entanglement versus separability, teleportation/super dense coding, fundamentals of quantum computing, decoherence, generalized measurements (POVMs)
RECOMMENDATION: Visit the associated UEs.
When:
Tuesday, 08:30 - 09:45 and 10:00 - 11:00
Where: Christian-Doppler-Hörsaal, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
ECTS-Credits: 4.00
MASTER Courses (Sommersemester 2023): Physics, Mathematics, Astronomy
Seminar
Mathematical/Computational Astro/Quantum Physics (250084)
Lecturer(s): Norbert Mauser, José Garre Rubio, Oliver Hahn, András Molnár, Cornelius Stefan Rampf, Norbert Schuch, Hans Peter Stimming
This seminar adresses Masters / PhD students in astronomy, physics, mathematics, computational sciences, data sciences and informatics.
The seminar is a frame for the autonomous workout of a 25-30 min seminar-talk.
The seminar is interfacultary and interdisciplinary in the field of "mathematical and computational aspects" in physics and engineering, with an emphasis on astrophysics and quantum physics, including fluid-dynamics, magnetism and materials.
The subject of workout+talk can be freely chosen with one of the 8 scientists who run the seminar. Propositions by students are most welcome, a competent supervisor will then be assigned.
When & where: Wednesday 16:45 - 18:15 HS13, Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1., 2. Stk., 1090 Wien
ECTS-Credits: 4.00
Lecture
Mathematical Aspects of Tensor Networks in Many-Body Physics (250148)
Lecturer(s): Norbert Schuch, José Garre Rubio, András Molnár
Important note: This course is intended as part of the course https://ufind.univie.ac.at/de/course.html?lv=260061&semester=2023S "Tensor network methods in many-body physics". -- Further information on the course and the format can be found there.
Tensor networks are a powerful framework for the study of many body-systems. Most importantly, they form the right language to study quantum many-body systems, both analytically and numerically. This in particular includes systems which exhibit exotic types of order (so-called "topological order"), which cannot be described by the standard framework of symmetry breaking and local order parameters, as well as other types of systems where quantum correlations play an important role.
The key reason for their success is that tensor networks are precisely built to capture the complex entanglement (i.e., the quantum correlation) which govern the behavior of such quantum many-body systems. On the one hand, this makes tensor networks a powerful tool to analytically understand and characterize the different unconventional phases and to build exactly solvable models. On the other hand, it also makes them a powerful ansatz for the numerical simulation of complex quantum many-body problems which are not susceptible to other methods due to their intricate quantum correlations.
Beyond that, tensor networks also naturally appear in the description of problems in classical statistical mechanics, where they give rise to extremely accurate numerical methods, as well as e.g. in the modeling of high-dimensional data.
This lecture is offered in combination with the course
https://ufind.univie.ac.at/de/course.html?lv=260061&semester=2023S
"Tensor network methods in many-body physics"
This course consists of two parts, which are given in the first and second half of the term, respectively. The first part will provide a general introduction to the topic. The second part will consists of two tracks, Track A: "Mathematical theory of tensor networks", and Track B: "Numerical simulations with tensor networks".
In the second part it will be possible either specialize on one of the tracks, or to take both tracks.
Students interested in only one track will earn ECTS points for the course 260061 "Tensor network methods in many-body physics". More information on the course can be found at https://ufind.univie.ac.at/de/course.html?lv=260061&semester=2023S
Students who take both specialization tracks will also earn points for this course.
When & Where:
See https://ufind.univie.ac.at/de/course.html?lv=260061&semester=2023S
ECTS-Credits: 2.00
PHD Courses (Sommersemester 2023):
NOTE: ALL MASTER-COURSES CAN BE USED FOR PHD-STUDIES AND VICE VERSA.
Seminar
VCQ - Quantum Optics Seminar (520008)
Lecturer(s): Borivoje Dakic, Philip Walther
Introduction to experiments and theoretical approaches in modern quantum science, including quantum foundations, quantum technologies and quantum information processing.
Where & When:
The seminar takes place on the TU Wien!!
For details pls consult https://vcq.quantum.at/colloquium-ss-23/
ECTS-Credits: 5.00
Lecture+Seminar (VU)
VDS Summer School: A comprehensive introduction to Matter-Wave (520024)
Lecturer(s): Markus Arndt, Philipp Haslinger, Thomas Juffmann
In 2023 we are going to celebrate the centenary of Louis de Broglie’s revolutionary idea that all massive matter has to be described by quantum waves. This idea inspired Erwin Schrödinger to formulate his wave equation and it is at the heart of matter-wave research on systems as diverse as electrons, neutrons, atoms, degenerate atomic clouds, molecules, clusters, and nanoparticles, exotic matter or antimatter. The summer academy reflect this breadth of modern matter-wave science but we will focus on experiments with electrons, atoms and macrmomolecules/nanoparticles. Modern matter-wave physics addresses the foundations of physics as well as applications in inertial sensing, precision measurement of fundamental constants, electron microscopy, molecule metrology, explorations of the limits of quantum physics or its interface to gravity theory, chemistry, and biology. The Summer Academy will cover the theoretical basis as well as experimental techniques and applications. This Summer Academy counts as a VU lecture within the University of Vienna, with regular ECTS credits.
Up to 30 international students can participate in the course with our without grading.
When:
Block: 17.-28.07.2023, further information on u:find
Where:
Erwin-Schrödinger-Hörsaal, Boltzmanngasse 5, 5. Stk., 1090 Wien
Ernst-Mach-Hörsaal, Boltzmanngasse 5, 2. Stk., 1090 Wien
Kurt-Gödel-Hörsaal, Boltzmanngasse 5, EG, 1090 Wien
Kurs (KU)
VCQ Summerschool "Hybrid Quantum Systems" (520007)
Lecturer(s): Borivoje Dakic, Philip Walther
With the increasing popularity of quantum information research, there are numerous exciting up-and-coming branches of both theoretical and experimental research. This upcoming VCQ summer school aims to give an overview for the basics of quantum computing and its experimental realizations and to highlight novel concepts and applications.
When: Block: 28.08. - 01.09.2023
ECTS-Credits: 3.00
Seminar
Photonic Quantum Information Processing (520023)
Lecturer(s): Philip Walther
This seminar aims to discuss the current research in the field of photonic quantum computing and quantum information science with a focus on the related research progress of local research groups. The seminar will be held in English. Participants will be requested to choose one timely research topic, either be being actively involved or by literature research. This topic will be then presented and discussed at the seminar.
When:
Tuesday, 10:00 - 11:30
Where:
u:find details
Journal Clubs
Seminar
Quantum Foundations (520006)
Lecturer(s): Caslav Brukner
Presentation and discussion of recent scientific articles in the field of foundations of quantum physics.
When & Where: TBA
ECTS-Credits: 5.00
Seminar
Quantum Optomechanics (520016)
Lecturer(s): Uros Delic
This journal club is aimed at students pursuing thesis work (at any level) in quantum optomechanics or a closely related discipline. We will discuss current experimental and theoretical approaches in quantum controlling massive objects for novel applications and new tests of the foundations of physics, and we will discuss relevant important literature on that topic.
When:
Wednesday, 9:30 - 11:00
Where:
Erwin-Schrödinger-Küche, u:find for details
Seminar
Quantum Nanophysics: Quantum Foundations and Quantum Sensing with Nanoscale Objects (520025)
Lecturer(s): Markus Arndt
We will read and discuss the literature around modern applications of quantum nanophysics, related to
* experimental advanced in cluster interferometry
* novel beam splitter techniques for matter-wave physics
* foundations and applicatins of modern quantum detectors
* nanoparticle cooling to quantum states
* nanoparticle quantum sensing
* molecular slowing and cooling
When:
Monday, 9:00 - 10:30
Where:
Erwin-Schrödinger-Hörsaal, Boltzmanngasse 5, 5. Stk., 1090 Wien